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'Death of Democracy' Rally Keeps Heat on
Maricopa Board of Supervisors
By Eduardo Barraza
BARRIOZONA
January 5, 2009
As members of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors (BOS) prepared to hold their “Passing of the Gavel” meeting on
Monday morning, members of the Maricopa Citizens for Safety and Accountability (MCSA) coalition, prepared to have a
“funeral procession for democracy.”
The early morning rally began at the north sidewalk of Washington Street, in front of the Wells Fargo corporate building,
the same spot where for the last four months, members of another local movement —Puente Arizona— have been
protesting the financial institution for renting office space to the sheriff’s department.
Members of MCSA organized their event to attend the BOS’ Monday meeting to show their support to the new board’s
Chairman, Max Wilson, who was “handed the gavel” by Andrew Kunasek. However, MCSA’s members were denied the
opportunity to speak at the meeting.
Before the meeting, dozens of demonstrators walked from the Wells Fargo building in a funeral procession fashion
toward the auditorium where the BOS’ meeting would take place. Leading the short walk was a group of four men
dressed in black, carrying a symbolic coffin, followed by a cortège of dozens of “mourners” walking through the Cesar
Chavez plaza.
The demonstration had the purpose of raising awareness about the BOS’ refusal to place MCSA’s demands on their
meeting’s agenda. MCSA has been insisting to be allowed to have a full hearing on issues related to public safety and
what they consider wasted taxpayer money by the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO).
According to organizers’ tenets, MCSA is formed by a coalition of community based organizations, labor unions, religious
leaders, students, and elected officials.
MCSA’s continuous actions since last summer have created turmoil at the BOS’ meetings. In turn, several members of
the coalition have been arrested by sheriff deputies on charges that go from disorderly conduct to criminal trespass. The
most recent incident involved four individuals who were arrested for clapping their hands at a fellow member during the
December 17, 2008 meeting.
Deputies at the auditorium’s entrance distributed flyers to all meeting attendees stating that though the meeting was
public, “anyone who is disruptive or who directs or incites to be disruptive will be removed from the meeting. Several
sheriff deputies were present both outside and inside the auditorium.
Members of the Board of Supervisors conducted their scheduled meeting with no incidents. Previous to the meeting,
Maricopa County Supervisors took their oaths to begin their new term, and Former Chairman Andrew Kunasek was
replaced in that capacity by Supervisor Max Wilson.
MCSA coalition members offered a press conference outside the auditorium after the meeting. They read written
statements intended for the BOS’ meeting. Attorney Daniel Ortega stated that “now more than ever we need a chairman
that would welcome and embrace citizens from all walks of life,” referring to new Chairman Wilson.
“I feel that my rights as a citizen have been violated,” said Ayensa Millan, during Monday’s press conference. Millan, a
coalition member, was arrested along with three other women on December 15 while sitting in a Maricopa County
building’s lobby. “I was astonished to see how an elected official would use his power to violate the rights of those who
he is supposed to protect.”
Copyright © 2009 Hispanic Institute of Social Issues
Grassroots Journalism
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Dozens of demonstrators lead by the Maricopa Citizens for Safety and Accountability (MCSA,) walk to
Maricopa County Board of Supervisors' auditorium symbolizing a funeral procession.